2017

State assembly elections have been held recently in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. In both these states, the BJP and the Congress Party were promoted on TV and other news media as the two main contenders. All other parties and candidates were given little or no space in the daily news coverage.

In Gujarat, the BJP has been in charge for the past 22 years. In Himachal, the Congress and BJP have been alternately running the government, changing places once in five years, with the Congress in charge since 2012.

Thousands of activists of different political parties and organisations participated in a massive demonstration in New Delhi on December 6, 2017, to commemorate 25 years of the ghastly crime committed by our rulers against our people – the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya and the state organized communal violence and massacres that followed. The demonstrators marched from Mandi House to Parliament, demanding punishment of the guilty and an end to state organized communal violence and genocide.

After enacting a law to deal with insolvency and bankruptcy of non-financial companies in Dec 2016 (Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016) and creating a regulator, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India, the Modi government has now proposed a bill to deal with the failure of financial institutions, Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill, 2017 (FRDI Bill).

The IBC process is yet another method devised to enable monopoly capitalists to legally loot workers and the public at large. The IBC will lead to further monopolization and concentration of wealth. Many jobs too will be lost as the acquiring capitalist will use the bad financial condition of the acquired company as the pretext to reduce number of workers and increase their workload.

The Keynote Speech by Com. Lal Singh, General Secretary of the CGPI delivered on the occasion of the Party Conference to commemorate the Centenary of the Great October Revolution has drawn very clear lessons for Indian communists, while hailing this great event and the leadership of the Party in this.

I read the Call of the CC of the CGPI entitled `Demands for loan waiver and public procurements are entirely just! It is the State's duty to ensure prosperity and protection for peasants! We are not asking for charity! Secure livelihood is our basic right!, dated November 20, 2017 (printed in December 1-15, 2017 issue of MEL).

Communist parties and organisations of workers, peasants, women and youth celebrated the 100 years of the Great October Revolution all across the country. The centenary was marked by hoisting the red flag, taking out colourful rallies and organising seminars and public meetings. Some of the parties held classes for their cadres in several districts.

The BJP government of Maharashtra had started pushing for amendment to ID Act in 2015, but they have been unsuccessful so far. The Maharashtra government has again proposed an amendment that would make it easier for factories with less than 300 workers to close down their factories or lay off workers without prior permission of the state government.

US President Trump’s trip to 5 countries in Asia in the second week of November – the longest Asia trip by a US President in 25 years -- was aimed primarily at boosting arms sales by the US Military-Industrial Complex and further strengthening US hegemony in Asia. It took place in the backdrop of heightened aggressive US military presence in South Korea, provocations and daily threats directed against the DPRK (North Korea) as well as the slanders by the US administration and the international media under its control against the DPRK for defending its sovereignty.

Seven communist parties – Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist)-Liberation, Communist Ghadar Party of India, Revolutionary Socialist Party, All India Forward Bloc and Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) – observed ‘Black Day against communalism and fascism’ on 6th December 2017. A protest march was held from Mandi House to Parliament in New Delhi.

Workers across sectors, small and middle peasants, government employees, doctors, nurses and Aanganwadi workers were all out on the streets through the year in 2017. They protested against the rising attacks on their right to livelihood. They demanded that these attacks be halted and asserted their right to organise. Working people came out in large numbers against the demonetisation in November 2016 and against the GST introduced in July this year.

On 13th December 2017, the state government employees of Rajasthan held demonstrations across the state under the leadership of Akhil Rajasthan Rajya Karmachari Sanyunkt Sangharsh Samiti to press for their 7-point charter of demands.

The 6th of December this year marks the 25th anniversary of the demolition of the 16th century mosque in Ayodhya, known as Babri Masjid.
The demolition of Babri Masjid was pre-meditated and planned well in advance.Lakhs of karsevaks from all over the country had been assembled in Ayodhya.The security forces were ordered to stay far away from the site. Prominent members of Parliament were among those who provided on-site supervision of the process, calling Babri Masjid a symbol of past slavery of Hindus to Muslim rulers.

The growing anger and discontent of the masses of peasants in all parts of the country manifest in numerous struggles over the past few months, burst out in a massive united show of strength on the streets of New Delhi on November 20 and 21, 2017.

Call of the Central Committee of the Communist Ghadar Party of India, 20 November, 2017

At the call of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, peasants from all parts of our country have gathering in Delhi today. The demands being raised include a one-time waiver of agricultural loans advanced by banks and guaranteed public procurement of all agricultural produce at remunerative prices.These are entirely just demands. They need to be fulfilled in order to provide a secure livelihood to the tillers and to lift agriculture out of crisis.

The Communist Ghadar Party of India marked the centenary of the Great October Revolution with a 2-day party conference on the subject of The Great October Revolution – 100 years, in New Delhi on November 4-5. The Conference was attended by Party members from across the country from Manipur to Rajasthan and from Punjab to Kerala and Tamilnadu. The overwhelming participation of youth over the two days infused the deliberations with a lot of enthusiasm and vigour.

On 20th November, President Trump officially declared North Korea as a 'state which sponsors terrorism'. North Korea will join the list of countries that the State Department identifies as those that have “repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism.” The list already includes Sudan, Syria and Iran.

Around the world, across several countries, political meetings, marches and rallies, film shows and cultural events were held to celebrate the centenary of the Great October Revolution of 7th November 1917 with thousands of people coming out on the streets.

An unprecedented mass united protest of peasants from all over the country took place on 20th November, on the eve of the winter session of Parliament. It was organised by the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, an umbrella body of 184 peasant organisations. Their demands included a one-time waiver of bank loans to farmers and guaranteed public procurement of all crops at minimum support prices, of at least one and a half times the average cost of production, as recommended by the Swaminathan Committee.

On 24th October, Finance Minister Jaitley announced that the Government of India plans to spend Rs 2,11,000 crore over the next two years to “recapitalise” the public sector banks. Under the Indradhanush plan announced in 2015, the government had announced that it would infuse Rs 70,000 crore of capital into the government owned banks over four years. Two years later, the capital to be put into the banks has risen by nearly three times.

Correspondents of the Mazdoor Ekta Lehar interviewed many leaders of the working class who were participating in the Mahapadav. Below we publish excerpts of interviews with Comrade Prakash Rao of Communist Ghadar Party of India, Comrade Santosh Kumar, Mazdoor Ekta Committee, Leader of Anganwadi workers Ms. M Chitralekha and .

A major boiler explosion took place in the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) power plant at Unchahar in Rae Barely, UP on 1st November 2017. More than 100 people were griviously injured in the explosion. The death toll has passed 40 and many are still not out of danger.

At the call of the central executive of the All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA), on November 20, 2017 an All Inida Demands Day was observed. At all the crew lobbies throughout the country, loco drivers observed dharnas, organised rallies and public meetings.

On November 20, 2017, government employees all over Rajasthan organised protest demonstrations and dharnas at their respective district headquarters, under the banner of the All Rajasthan State Employees Joint Committee. They submitted their memorandum of demands to the Chief Minister through their tehsildaars. Earlier, on November 9, the state employees had organised protests and dharnas at their respective collectors' offices and submitted their demands.

Tens of thousands of peasants came from all parts of India to participate in a massive protest action at the Parliament in New Delhi on 20th November 2017. The protest action was organised by the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), consisting of over 180 organisations. Peasants came in large contingents from all corners of India.

Keynote Speech by Comrade Lal Singh, General Secretary, Communist Ghadar Party of India, 4th November 2017

On 7th November, which was 25th October in the Russian calendar of that time, the revolutionary workers, soldiers and sailors stormed the Winter Palace and arrested the representatives of the Provisional Government. They occupied the Ministries, the State Bank as well as the railway stations, post and telegraph offices. Led by the Bolshevik Party, the working class captured political power in Russia. It shook the entire world. It struck terror in the hearts of the capitalists of all countries.

For three days, November 9, 10 and 11, wave upon wave of workers from every state of the Indian Union joined in the massive All India workers protest (mahapadav) outside parliament.It was a veritable sea of workers. Red flags, placards proclaiming the demands of workers and banners of the participating unions adorned the mahapadav. It was literally a workers festival. Leaders of the working class addressed the workers, cultural workers sang songs in different languages inspiring the workers to step up their struggle for a society free from all forms of exploitation and oppression.

Call of the Central Committee of the Communist Ghadar Party of India, 3 November, 2017

The 3-day Maha Padav outside Parliament, starting on 9th November, is a massive protest action which is being organised by the National Convention of Workers, consisting of trade unions and their federations covering workers in diverse sectors. They include workers in steel, coal, electricity, petroleum, machinery and machine tools, defence production, railways, banks, road, air and water transport, telecom and IT industries. The 3-day action in Delhi has been preceded by mass campaigns all over the country, in every state, district and block, and in every industrial area.

Members and activists of communist parties and several organisations organized a joint action in New Delhi on 1st November 2017, to mark 33 years after the genocide of Sikhs and to reiterate their demand for punishment of the guilty.

Dear Editor,
I am writing to thank you for carrying the informative article entitled 'A year since the Note Ban, who has gained?' in the November 1-15, 2017 issue of MEL. Such an article goes a long way towards educating the working class on the true intent and objective of the devastating note ban that was done in November 2016 by the Narendra Modi Government.

Dear Editor, MEL
This is in response to the Call of the CC of the CGPI dated 24-10-2017 on the eve of the 33rd anniversary of the state-sponsored massacre of Sikhs in 1984. The call emphasizes that the struggle to punish the guilty of the 1984 genocide has not yet been fruitful, and also that such a struggle is part and parcel of the struggle to establish a new state that will ensure prosperity and protection for all.

From the time of the promulgation of the Constitution of the Indian Republic on January 26, 1950, the position adopted by the Indian state on the citizenship question reveals a thoroughly communal outlook. The Indian state has used the question of citizenship to systematically inflame communal and sectarian passions and attack the unity of the people. It has used the citizenship issue to divert and disrupt the struggle of the different nations and peoples constituting India for their national rights.

Till the time of filing of this report on 12th November 2017, the strike of the government hospital doctors of Rajasthan was continuing. The state police has till now arrested more than hundred doctors. Some doctors have been dismissed. Doctors are being forced to break their strike. It may be noted that under the leadership of the All Rajasthan Employed Doctors Union, the doctors of the state government hospitals have continuously been agitating since August this year for their 33-point demands.

A militant demonstration and rally was organized in New Delhi on November 8, 2017, exactly a year after demonetisation was brutally imposed on our people by the BJP led central government. The demonstration was organized by the seven communist parties – Communist Ghadar Party of India, Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, Socialist Unity Centre of India – Communist, All India Forward Bloc and Revolutionary Socialist Party.

On Nov 7, 1917, revolutionary workers, soldiers and sailors took the Winter Palace by storm and arrested the Provisional Government. The armed uprising in Petrograd had won.

Produced below are the call to all Russian citizens from the Revolutionary Military Committee and a Report on the Tasks of Soviet Power and Resolution passed at the Meeting of The Petrograd Soviet of Workers' And Soldiers' Deputies.

Call of the Central Committee of the Communist Ghadar Party of India, 24 October, 2017

On 1st November, 2017, men and women, old and young, people of all religious faiths, communists and other political activists, will march through the streets of Delhi, from the Supreme Court to the Parliament building, to mark the 33rd anniversary of the genocide of Sikhs in 1984. Through this united action, the people of India are declaring that they are not prepared to forgive or forget the monstrous crime committed 33 years ago. A message is being conveyed to the whole world that the people of India will not give up the fight for justice.

The Central Committee of the Communist Ghadar Party of India salutes the Desh Bhagat Yaadgaar Committee for dedicating this year’s Ghadari mela to the Great October Revolution.

No communist can ever forget that the Hindustan Ghadar Party was the first revolutionary political party of Indians. Just like the Bolshevik Party, the Ghadar Party had an irreconcilable attitude towards imperialism, the bourgeoisie and the capitalist state.

The declaration of the results of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for medical colleges in June this year has been followed by massive protests by students and people of Tamilnadu. Before NEET was made compulsory this year for all states (exemption provided to TN in 2016 from NEET was withdrawn this year), the entrance to government medical colleges in Tamilnadu was based on the marks obtained by the students in the final school examination conducted by the Tamilnadu Board.

The devastating effects of the sudden banning of 500 and 1000 rupee notes, announced by Prime Minister Modi one year back on November 8, 2016, are still being felt by the people of the country, though people were asked to suffer “temporary pain” only in exchange for “long-term gain”. In a country where the majority of people relied heavily on cash, the withdrawal of 86% of the currency in circulation caused havoc in the lives of workers, peasants, small and medium size producers and traders.

The article entitled `"War against terrorism" is the banner behind which US imperialism is trying to establish its domination over Asia' was very straightforward and logical. This article places in perspective the activities of the Government of India in trying to isolate Pakistan and accusing it of being among other things `..pre-eminent export factory of terror' and at times in the past as the `...epicentre of terror' and all other kinds of accusations.

The great October Revolution in Russia has been the greatest victory for the working class in the era of modern capitalism and is a great inspiration for the working class today. The lessons of the Russian Revolution will always be a beacon for communists now and in the future. The article gives the history of the period just before the Revolution took place as well as the events that allowed the watershed revolution.

As mentioned in the article “the government of Pakistan has refused to send its armed forces into Afghanistan”, this step is understandable given the experience Pakistan has had with the US. Every time Pakistan has allowed US to interfere within its boundaries or taken assistance from the US it has met with ill-fate. And now the US is ensuring that Pakistan is globally deemed a terrorist state, building the scene for something that needs to be dealt with as part of its “war on terrorism”. From Pakistan’s experience, one would think it wise to be wary of USA’s “friendship” judging from the way the US has repaid Pakistan for being an ally. If the Indian state were to evaluate the situation keeping in mind the security of its people and not the selfish expansionist interests of the bourgeoisie, it would be obvious that being an ally to the USA comes at a very high cost and will only lead to destruction and devastation of the region.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Delhi on 24th October night on his 3-day maiden official visit to India. In the course of talks between him and External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, both sides deliberated extensively on further enhancing bilateral defence and security ties as well as ways to deal with challenge of terrorism in the region.

As of going to the press, the relay dharna led by the Ramgarh Satarkta evam Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti (Ramgarh Vigilance and Joint Struggle Committee) that has been going on since 18 October 2017 is continuing for their demands of filling vacancies at the Community Health Centre (CHC) and to make equipment necessary for treatment of patients available in the health centre in Ramgarh village of Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan.

Bus services were completely paralysed in Maharashtra due to a five-day strike by the state transport workers. Lakhs of passengers use the 17,000 buses that operate across the state every day.

The workers struck work on 16th October in support of their demands for better salaries. Maharashtra State ST Kamagar Sanghatana led the strike with the support of six other labour unions. The unions demanded revision to salaries based on the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission. They had been negotiating with the administration but were determined to stick to their protest till their demands were realized.

Workers of two Mahindra plants in Uttarakhand (under the banner of Mahindra CIE workers organization) have won their demands after a resolute struggle that began on 18th May 2017 when their demands for an annual wage rise were not implemented. The struggle stretched over four months with workers using several forms of protest on the shop floor.

On 27th October 2017, for the first time, in a path-breaking meeting, various Railway worker unions and passenger associations came together in Mumbai and denounced the Railway administration’s and Railway Ministry’s apathy towards the safety of railway passengers and workers. The initiative taken by Lok Raj Sangathan and Kamgar Ekta Committee in association with the All India Guards’ Council got a very good response, as a result of which more than 25 organisations came together to organize a seminar on the subject “Increasing Railway Accidents – Causes and Solution”.

16,000 sanitation workers of East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) went on an indefinite strike on 11th October over non-payment of salaries and arrears. They also demanded cashless medical cards.

Mukesh Vaidya, President of the All Municipal Corporation Sanitation Supervisors' Union clarified that the workers are justifiably demanding three months' salary and pending arrears, besides regularisation of staffers. He added that "We are fed up with the excuses given by the EDMC officials every month. It has been three months and we have not received salary.

Anganwadi workers’ union (Punjab), comprising of the workers and anganwadi helpers had called for a gherao of the chief minister’s residence in Patiala to press for their long pending demands. Despite Punjab police arresting many of their leaders on the eve of the gherao, and putting up all sorts of barricades, more than 25000 anganwadi workers managed to reach the railway station in Patiala by the morning of 23rd October. They were not allowed to get out of the railway station, so they continued their demonstration at the railway station.

On 23 October, 2017, the trade unions of Delhi held a protest at the Department of Urban Development demanding a repeal of the increase in metro fares.

Workers, women and youth participated in great numbers along with trade union activists in the demonstration. The protesters shouted slogans like – ‘Take back the increased fare! Down with the anti-worker, anti-people policy of the government! The Central Government should come to its senses and reduce the metro fare! Long live the revolution!’

The Report to the Fifth Congress of the Communist Ghadar Party of India, presented by Comrade Lal Singh, General Secretary of the CGPI, on behalf of its Central Committee, was discussed and adopted by the Fifth Congress of the CGPI, held in November 2016. By decision of the Fifth Congress, this report has been edited for publication.

The supression of the Kornilov-led revolt clearly showed that the tide of revolution was rising. There ensued a period of bolshevistation. Factories, mills and military units held new elections and sent to the Soviets representatives of the Bolshevik Party in place of the Mensheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries.The Petrograd and Moscow Soviets went over to the Bolsheviks, forcing the resignation of the Mensheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries.

On November 7, Red Guards and revolutionary troops occupied the railway stations, post office, telegraph office, the Ministries and the State Bank. The Pre-parliament was dissolved. The cruiser Aurora trained its guns on the Winter Palace, and their thunder ushered in a new era, the era of the Great Socialist Revolution.

In her speech at the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 23, 2017, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that “Pakistan is recognised only as the pre-eminent export factory for terror”. The foreign Minister’s statement has been accompanied by heightened war mongering by the Indian state against Pakistan.

On 28th June, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave its “in-principle” approval for a “strategic sale” of the central government’s ownership share in Air India to a private company. Finance Minister Jaitley justified the decision to privatise Air India by claiming that it is a waste of public money to keep operating this loss-making airline.

The Code on Wages Bill, 2017 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 10 August 2017 by the Modi government. The new bill is to replace the Payment of Wages Act -1936, the Minimum Wages Act – 1949, the Payment of Bonus Act - 1965 and the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976. The Wage Code Bill is a part of the so called labour law reforms that the government has undertaken by “rationalisation” of 38 Labour Acts.

In a tragic incident in Elphinstone Road Suburban Railway Station, Mumbai on 29th September2017, at least 23 people were killed and many more severely injured, in a stampede on a railway bridge connecting Central and Western railway suburban stations. After facing flak from all corners and after seeing the wide spread anger of people reported, the Maharashtra government and Railway administration were forced to show that they are doing something.

Sir, This is with reference to the article “The Rohingya refugee crisis” published in 1-15 Oct 2017 issue of the Mazdoor Ekta Lehar. The article provides an excellent perspective on the crisis along with information that is hard to find in the so called main stream media.

Sir, I am writing to thank you for the important and informative article on the ongoing Rohingiya refugee crisis (article bears the same title) in the October 1-15, 2017 issue of MEL. I would like to first of all express my sincere regret and sadness at the plight of the people who have been displaced from their homes in Myanmar. I would also like to join you in condemning the attitude and the behaviour of the government of India that has said that they would send them back to Myanmar possibly into the hands of certain oppression under the military and government of Myanmar.

Sir, I am writing to thank you for highlighting the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the publication of Vol. 1 of `Das Capital' which was a landmark publication. Karl Marx, the founder of modern dialectical materialism and the theory of class struggle continued his work and did not live to see the publication after completion of Vols. 2 and 3.

Judgments on several aspects of the 2002 Godhra train burning case were delivered by the Gujarat high court on 9th October.

The Godhra train burning case refers to the train that was returning with passengers from the site of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya that had been demolished in 1992. As many as 59 pilgrims on board were charred to death when a coach of the train was set on fire. This incident was used to organize large scale massacres of Muslims across the state.

On 28th September 2017 on the occasion of the 111th birth anniversary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh a meeting was organized in Ramgarh, Hanumangarh district in Rajasthan. A large number of people gathered for this meeting. The meeting was chaired by the sarpanch of the gram Panchayat of Ramgarh, Banvarilaal Dev.

On the 111th birth anniversary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, the Jan Sangharsh Manch organized a revolutionary programme in Kurukshetra, Haryana. Thousands of workers, women and youth participated in the programme. In the morning, as a token of respect and in memory, flowers were placed on the statue of Shaheed Bhagat Singh at the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Disha Sansthan. After this, a massive people’s march was led through the streets and lanes of the city with rousing slogans inspired by the revolutionary message of Shaheed Bhagat Singh. This march reached the Ramlila ground in Kurukshetra after which a large mass meeting was organized by the Jan Sangharsh Manch, Haryana.

On 6 October 2017 villagers of Ramgarh organised a one-day token demonstration under the leadership of Lok Jan Samiti Ramgarh to demand improvement in the condition of the community health centers (CHC) in the village.

More than 2 lakh Anganwadi workers working in more than 1.1 lakh Anganwadis in Maharashtra have started their strike struggle from 12th September’17. They are demanding that they be treated as human beings. They are demanding that they be treated on par with government workers and also demanding a salary hike as per their seniority. They are demanding that the minimum salary for a fresh recruit should be of Rs.7000/- per month going up to Rs.13,000/- per month for those who have been doing this work for the last 20 years.

On 28 September, 2017, the occasion of Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s birth anniversary, the Jan Chetna Manch, Jakhal inaugurated the opening of a library for the local residents in the memory of freedom fighters, at the grain market in Jakhal city, Haryana.

The 14th of September this year marked the 150th anniversary of the publication of the first volume of Capital, written by Karl Marx. The aim of this book, whose second and third volumes were completed by Engels after the death of Marx, was to “lay bare the economic law of motion of modern society – that is, capitalist, bourgeois society”. Based on his thorough analysis of the capitalist mode of production, Marx identified the fundamental contradiction of this system, whose resolution would lead to socialism.

Marxism emerged as a continuation of the most advanced thought that had been developed by the best minds in 19th century Europe. It was a further development of German philosophy, English political economy and French socialism.

Recently the government of Rajasthan declared that it will hand over 300 government schools to private entities to operate under Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model. Following this declaration students, teachers and parents, and people across the state came on to the street to oppose this blatantly anti-social decision of the government.

With great sadness we inform you that our dear comrade Stuart Monro of the Revolutionary Communist Party of Britain (Marxist-Leninist) passed away on September 7 at the age of 79. The Central Committee of the Communist Ghadar Party of India deeply mourns his passing away, which is a great loss to our Party and to the communist movement. On behalf of the CC of the CGPI, I convey heartfelt and deep condolences to the CC of the Revolutionary Communist Party of Britain (Marxist Leninist) and to the family and friends of Comrade Stuart Monro at this great loss.

Our Party had many warm and memorable interactions with Comrade Stuart Monro.

The book "Call of the Ghadaris — Revolution", published in Punjabi, Hindi and English languages by the Communist Ghadar Party of India was released on 17 September, 2017, at an impressive function in Toronto, Canada. This book is the product of rigorous research and a series of inner-party discussions carried out under the leadership of Comrade Lal Singh, General Secretary of the Communist Ghadar Party of India.

Since the beginning of September, the news of lakhs of refugees from Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) fleeing to Bangladesh, amidst reports of repression unleashed by the Myanmar armed forces, has captured international headlines.

According to the Bangladesh government, over 4,20,000 Rohingyas refugees have crossed over since August 25, 2017. They are now lodged in refugee camps in the Cox’s Bazaar area of Bangladesh bordering Myanmar.

Providing good quality basic school education for children is widely recognized as a primary responsibility of the State in any modern society.

A recent announcement by the Rajasthan government states that it will hand over 300 ‘poorly performing’ government schools to private hands, to be run on the public-private partnership model, in the name of “improving the quality of education”. This brings into focus the state of government school education in India and the abysmal failure of the State to fulfill this primary responsibility towards our people.

The article entitled "US unveils strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia: Grave threat to all peoples of the region" in the September 16-30, 2017 issue of MEL is educative and a must for the working class which is constantly bombarded by the Indian ruling class controlled media, the world according to which is one where Pakistan is the epicentre of terror, and that it is the US that is the guardian of democracy in the world, and also in the region. In reality, nothing could be farther from the truth.

September 2017 witnessed several waves of strikes of workers in France against changes to the country’s labour laws. The changes, which are being fast-tracked via executive orders, are designed to give employers more flexibility to negotiate pay and conditions with their workers while reducing the costs of firing staff. More specifically, the “reform” will make employee dismissal rules more flexible by reducing severance costs and loosening the country’s legal procedures around dismissal. The second area where businesses will be allowed more freedom is the regulation of hours of work.

A coalition of human rights and labour organizations joined a protest rally on 21st September organized to denounce e Duterte government's human rights violations and demand an end to martial law in Mindanao. Over 12,000 people, mainly from poor urban communities, have been killed in extra-judicial killings sanctioned by President Duterte, with those involved granted impunity.

Almost immediately after the elections, the state government had announced the crop loan waiver scheme with much fanfare. Under the scheme, crop loans up to Rs 1 lakh were to be waived off for small and marginal farmers. The whole scheme has been reduced to a farce.

Cabinet ministers are shown ceremoniously distributing loan waiver certificates to farmers across districts. However, it turns out that many of the beneficiary farmers have received waivers of amounts as petty as Re 1 or Rs 1.50!

Job sites have recently witnessed a 20-25% increase of applications from workers in IT and e-commerce companies. Business and trade papers further report that the Indian technology services sector is facing its worst growth period in close to a decade as the demand for their services has shifted from traditional outsourcing work to newer areas such as digital and cloud. In addition, automation through applications of robots are fast replacing human being in routine maintenance work of customer applications or IT infrastructure. This is in area where new recruits are usually employed.

The BJP-led government headed by Narendra Modi is stepping up the pace of the privatisation program. The target for sale of government shares in public companies has been raised from Rs.30,000 crores in 2015-16 to Rs.56,500 crores in 2016-17, and to Rs.72,500 crores in 2017-18. Many sectors which have so far been reserved for public ownership, including coal, defence production and railways, have been opened up to Indian and foreign private companies. Preparations are being made for outright sale of Air India and divestment of BSNL.

On August 21, US President Trump announced the strategy his government will pursue towards Afghanistan and South Asia. Trump declared that the US would not withdraw its forces from Afghanistan, unlike what was promised by his predecessor Barack Obama. On the contrary, the US would escalate its military intervention in Afghanistan and Pakistan in order to achieve “victory” over the Taliban and various other forces.

A nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court has ruled that Indians enjoy a “fundamental right to privacy” and that it is intrinsic to the “right to life and liberty” ...

The working class and other oppressed sections cannot be complacent that this judgment will guarantee civil liberties including the right to privacy. We must step up the struggle to ensure constitutional

Gauri Lankesh, well known journalist and social activist, editor of the Kannada publication Gauri Lankesh Patrike, was brutally shot dead at her residence on the evening of September 5, 2017. Gauri Lankesh was respected among those fighting for the rights of the exploited and oppressed, for her bold investigative writings exposing the crimes of those in power and her passionate appeal for justice for the victims of state terror.

I thank Mazdoor Ekta Lehar for this excellent piece on Goods and Services Tax. Much has been written and talked on the subject in media and the press, which only confuses the content and intent of the GST. The article in a simple language exposes precisely its content and intent in its very title. The article sharply brings out three key aspects of the legislation, exposing its class content:

The Statement of the CC of the CGPI entitled 'Building a new India requires getting rid of the old exploitative system and the oppressive State!' in the Sept. 1-15, 2017 issue of MEL is a thought provoking piece. The Statement was issued in the wake of the 70th Independence Day observance and as a response to the call of the PM where he called for building a "New India" over 5 years (!), in India without poverty, corruption, communalism and discrimination.

With respect to the condemnation of US warmongering and threats against the Korean people, I would like to bring to the attention of your readers that Guam, an island in the Pacific Ocean with a little over 200,000 people is one of the bases for the US military.

The Economic Survey is an annual document presented by the Ministry of Finance. It reviews developments in the Indian economy over the previous 12 months. It highlights recent policies of the government and the prospects of the economy in the short to medium term. It is presented to both houses of Parliament during Budget Session.

On Saturday, August 19, 2017, 14 coaches of the Kalinga Utkal Express travelling between Hardwar and Puri went off the rails near Muzaffarnagar, UP, killing 23 people and seriously injuring hundreds. Within three days of this, the Kaifiyat Express travelling between Azamgarh, UP and Delhi collided with a dumper that was crossing the tracks, near Kanpur, leading to derailment and injuries to many. Over the last 5 years there have been 586 train accidents out of which 53% or the majority were due to derailments.

The recent tragedy in Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh and the earlier many such tragedies which occur with predictable frequency, some reported, some highlighted, and mostly ignored and forgotten are the hallmark of present public health system in India. It has once again exposed the criminal callousness of the state authorities and those who rule.

Women workers at PepsiCo in Argentina have been organizing militant protests against retrenchment, long hours of work in harsh working conditions. The protests began in June this year. They arrived at work June 20 to find a note on the door saying that the plant would be relocated and that workers were out of a job.

Dozens of working and retrenched employees protested in Hyderabad on 8th September against the ongoing mass lay-offs in the Information Technology sector.
The Forum of IT Professionals has clarified that “Over the last three months, up to 25,000 people have been sacked in the city by different companies.

Several teachers from Central and State universities and colleges celebrated Teachers’ Day on 5th September, by courting arrest.

Protesting under the banners of the All India Federation of University & College Teachers’ Organisations(AIFUCTO) and the Federation of Central University Teachers’ Associations (FEDCUTA), they were demonstrating against non-declaration of the Chauhan Pay Review Committee Report, that was submitted over six months ago.

Government employees and teachers under the banner Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Teachers Organisations – Government Employees Organisations (JACTTO-GEO) staged demonstrations across the central region on Friday urging the State government to implement their various demands.

As Mazdoor Ekta Lehar goes to the press, on 13 September 2017, angry peasants had once again taken to the roads to press for their demand of waiver of loans and other demands. The mahapadav organised by the All India Kisan Sabha and other peasant organisations on 12 September had forced the Rajasthan government to take notice of the more than 10-day long agitation and invite the leaders of agitating peasants for a meeting in the evening in Jaipur. An eleven member delegation took part in the talks. Talks went on till late in the night, however, it did not result in an agreement. Soon after that the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti met and announced chakka jam throughout Rajasthan.

The Assam government has enacted the Industrial Disputes (Assam Amendment) Bill, 2017, which authorises employers to retrench up to 300 employees without seeking approval of the government. As in Rajasthan, which was the first among states to pass anti-labour legislation, Assam has legislated this in the name of “labour reform”. The Assam assembly passed the bill by a voice vote on 7 Sept.

Statement of the Central Committee of the Communist Ghadar Party of India, 23 August, 2017

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of India’s independence from colonial rule, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on the people to support him in building a “New India” over the next five years, an India without poverty, corruption, communalism or caste discrimination.

Statement of the Communist Ghadar Party of India, August 18 2017

Day by day, the US imperialists are escalating their threats to annihilate the people and government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) through nuclear and conventional weapons.US President Donald Trump has threatened the Korean people with “fire and fury that the world has never seen”. He has declared that its armed forces are ready to carry out this threat at any moment.

The Goods & Service Tax (GST), implemented in July 2017, is a single all-India tax which replaces a number of different indirect taxes that were levied so far on the sale of goods and services. It replaces the excise duty, special excise duty, special customs duty, central sales tax (CST), service tax, various surcharges and cesses levied by the central government. It also replaces most of the indirect taxes levied by state governments including the value added tax (VAT), luxury tax, entertainment tax, entry tax and purchase tax.

Political developments in Tamilnadu reveal the complete marginalisation of people in this system of parliamentary democracy. ... People are utterly disgusted by the arbitrary actions of the factions of the ruling AIADMK and the interference of the central government. At the same time, they feel helpless in this system which does not allow them any role beyond casting their vote on Election Day.
What is happening in Tamilnadu has once more revealed the reality of parliamentary democracy before the masses of people. It has once more underscored the fact that the present system of democracy only serves the bourgeois class, which is a tiny minority.

“Call of the Ghadaris - Revolution”, the book published by the Communist Ghadar Party of India in Hindi, Punjabi and English, was released in Mumbai on August 5, 2017. Apart from many workers including women and youth, representatives of Kamgar Ekta Committee, All India Guards Council, Communist Party of India, Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist), All India Students Federation, Ladaku Garment Mazdoor Sangh, Spark (Lok Raj Sangathan), Indian Airport Employees Union, Bastar Solidarity Group, Bigul Dasta and Purogami Mahula Sangathan also graced the occasion and released the book.

On August 11, 2017, US President Trump declared that the US had "many options for Venezuela, including a possible military option if necessary". This follows the imposing of sanctions on Venezuela by the US.

The threat to use military force to overthrow the government of Venezuela and establish a pro-US regime in its place marks a new phase of escalation of brutal and systematic interference that it has carried on against the people of that country for many years. It is an open threat to the sovereignty of Venezuela and its people.

Thousands of peasants protested in over 150 districts across the country on 9th August at the call of the Bhoomi Adhikar Andolan a coalition of organisations working for land rights for the peasantry, agricultural workers, forest dwellers, dalits and adivasis. The Andolan had extended support to the yatra organized by by the All India Kisan Sangarsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) to carry the soil from the villages of the farmers killed in Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh to various parts of the country, concluding in Delhi on 18th July.

Jharkhand state government passed a new land acquisition law by voice vote, in the state Assembly on August 12, overriding objections of MLAs of opposition parties. The new law, known as the Jharkhand Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Act-2017, has amended certain provisions of the earlier land acquisition law, to facilitate land acquisition for the big monopoly capitalists to carry out their mining, power generation and other projects.

The regional comprehensive economic partnership (rcep) held its19th round of negotiations between 18th-28th july in hyderabad. The RCEP was set up in 2002. It is a forum of16 countries, to negotiate their mutual terms of trade, i.e. how much of the trade between them should be free of barriers like import duties, etc. The Partnership includes the10 countries of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia, Brunei, Myanmar and Philippines and six other countries – Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea, who have entered into trade agreements with the ASEAN.

Vivo India Pvt. Ltd hit the headlines as a case of “labour unrest” following clashes in the factory premises at Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh on July 25, 2017. As always, the monopoly capitalist controlled media distorted the events. The workers of Vivo were blamed for bringing a “bad name” for India and creating problems for the “Make in India” initiative of the ruling bourgeois class.

On 14th Aug, 2017, train drivers raised their demands and held demonstrations at the crew lobbies and divisions of various zones under the leadership of the All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA). The decision to hold these demonstrations was taken in a meeting held by the central executive committee in Nagpur between 3-4 Aug, 2017. 48 representatives from the 16 zones of Indian Railways participated in the meeting. In the meeting, workers decided to hold massive dharnas to fight for their demands in the crew lobbies and various zones of the railways on 24th Aug.

... In particular, I am struck by the opening sentence of the article, cf., `The Partition of 1947 haunts the peoples of India, Pakistan and Bangaladesh even today.' This sentence conveys a large number of important concepts that anyone who is interested in the welfare and progress of the peoples (note plural) who live in these countries.

I was delighted to read the detailed report carried in the August 16-31, 2017 issue of MEL entitled `All India Convention of workers resolves to step up the struggle against the anti-worker, anti-people assault of the ruling class.' It was heartening to read that over 6000 delegates attended the Convention in the heart of Delhi which was jointly organized by all the leading and national workers unions and confederations.

An all India Convention of Workers was held on 8 August 2017, at Talkatora Indoor Stadium, New Delhi. The Convention was jointly organised by AITUC, CITU, INTUC, HMS, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, UTUC and LPF. More than 6000 delegates from different federations of workers and employees from the defence plants, steel plants, coal mines, railways, banks, insurance, and many other sectors of the economy participated in the Convention. A delegation of the Mazdoor Ekta Committee actively participated in the Convention.

The first edition of the book titled "Call of the Ghadaris — Revolution", published by the Communist Ghadar Party of India in Hindi, Punjabi and English, was formally released in New Delhi on 26 July. It was enthusiastically received by a packed audience consisting of numerous political party representatives, lawyers, journalists, academic scholars and activists of many organisations of workers, women and youth.

Organising of Hindu-Muslim “riots” became part of the British colonial strategy of “divide and rule”. This was especially the case after the Great Ghadar of 1857, in which people of all religions and castes had united.

The Partition of 1947 haunts the peoples of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh even today. As a result of that partition, the two nations of Punjab and Bengal have been brutally divided on religious lines. The people of Kashmir remain a tragic victim of the terrible consequences of the communal Partition.

Instead of being a gateway to neighbourly cooperation and trade, the approximate 3000 km border between India and Pakistan is a hotbed of armed clashes and conflagrations. Vast areas on both sides of the border have been converted into wastelands by repeated wars.

I am writing in response to the statement of the CC of the CGPI dated July 29, 2017 on the eve of the 70th anniversary of Indian independence which falls on August 15, 2017, which is entitled ``On the 70th anniversary of Indian independence: The peoples of India will be free only when we establish our rule in place of the rule of big capitalists established in 1947.''

Suppression of General Kornilov’s plot against the revolution and increasing influence of the Bolsheviks

The Russian bourgeoisie, having seized all powers in the July days, began its preparations to destroy the now weakened Soviets and to set up an open counter-revolutionary dictatorship. Representatives of the bourgeoisie declared the ‘death’ of the Soviets while at the war-front severe courts-martial were held to avenge the revolt of the soldiers and death sentences meted out wholesale. On August 3, 1917, General Kornilov, the Commander-in-Chief of the army, demanded the introduction of the death penalty behind the battle lines as well.

Mazdor Ekta Lehar (MEL) spoke to Comrade JP Sharma, Vice President, All India Bank Employees Association and General Secretary, Delhi State Bank Employees Federation. Comrade JP Sharma (JPS) expressed his views on the current situation in the banking sector and the struggle being waged by the bank employees.

In June 2017, the Gujarat government closed the gates of the Sardar Sarovar Dam on its side, by consent of the central government. At the same time, it was decided to raise the height of Sardar Sarovar Dam, on the Narmada River near Navagam by 17 metres to 138.72 metres. As a consequence, around 40,000 families in 192 villages of Madhya Pradesh are facing submergence.

It is now more than a month since the imposition of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on 1st July.The days leading up to and following it witnessed country wide protests against its imposition. Shops and workshops across several sectors downed their shutters. Several unions joined in the protests.

The peoples of India will be free only when we establish our rule in place of the rule of big capitalists established in 1947

Statement of the Central Committee of the Communist Ghadar Party of India, 29 July, 2017

On 15th August, 1947, India was formally declared to be independent from British colonial rule. British India was divided into two parts on the basis of religion, to create the independent States of India and Pakistan. East Pakistan, which was geographically separated from the rest of Pakistan, broke away in 1971 to become another independent State of Bangladesh.

Today, 70 years later, the vast majority of people living in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are deprived of freedom in almost all aspects of life.

The first edition of a book titled "Call of the Ghadaris — Revolution", published by the Communist Ghadar Party of India in Hindi, Punjabi and English, was released on 15 July, 2017, at an impressive function held at the Desh Bhagat Yaadgaar Hall in Jalandhar, Punjab.

The function was organized jointly by the Punjabi Lekhak Sabha and the Desh Bhagat Yaadgaar Committee. It attracted a wide audience consisting of progressive academic scholars, writers, poets, journalists, students and political activists belonging to different parties and communist groups.

Under the banner of Karza Mukti Andolan Sangharsh Samiti, farmers from across Rajasthan took out demonstration on July 17 and started a Traffic Jam Campaign. 39 farmers’ associations of Rajasthan are involved in this Sangharsh Samiti. As a result of the protest, on 22nd July the government invited the representatives of all 39 organizations from the Sangharsh Samiti, to discuss the problems being faced by the farmers.

Peasant brothers, you have come here to Delhi from every corner of India to declare to the whole country that you will fight against injustice and for your rights. The Communist Ghadar Party of India stands firmly in defence of your struggle.

As the Parliament Monsoon Session began this year on 17 July 2017, thousants of peasants belonging to hundreds of organisations from all parts of India came to the Jantar Mantar near the Parliament House in New Delhi. The purpose of the rally was to draw Government's attention to the deep agricultural crisis which is leading to widespread economic ruin of peasants.

The July demonstrations and their immediate aftermath represented a turning point in the revolution in Russia. The dual power came to an end. The whole power passed into the hands of the Provisional Government, while the Soviets, with their Socialist-Revolutionary and Menshevik leaders, had become an appendage of the Provisional Government. The peaceful period of the revolution had ended.

United call for the empowerment of people

Lok Raj Sangathan, together with Social Democratic Party of India, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, United Muslims Front, Communist Ghadar Party of India, CPI (M-L)-New Proletarian, Welfare Party of India, Popular Front of India, Purogami Mahila Sangathan, National Confederation of Human Rights Organisations and others, organized an important initiative in building the united resistance of all sections of people to the growing attacks on our livelihood and rights, and in advancing the struggle for people’s empowerment.

I am writing in response to the Call of the CC of the CGPI dated 04-07-2017 entitled 'Oppose the anti-national, war mongering Indo-US military strategic alliance' carried in the July 16-31, 2017 issue of MEL.

This is a particularly important call because it clarifies the stand of the Party as to why such a military alliance is a path of disaster and also states explicitly that the people of India stand to gain nothing from an alliance with the most hated imperial power in the world.

Omax, Automax and Speedomax are three plants which supply auto parts and provide services to companies like Maruti Suzuki and Honda. They are under one ownership and have 6 units in the Gurgaon area and 10 units across the entire country. For the past six months, the Automax management had been shifting machines to the Omax plant in Bawal. The Automax plant has several divisions.

Residents of Neduvasal a village in Pudukottai district in southern Tamil Nadu have been protesting since mid-February against the ONGC awarding contracts for the execution of oil and gas extraction process. The pace of the protests against ONGC has not slowed down even a bit, with the protest hitting 100 days on 21st July. Meanwhile protests had also begun in Kathiramangalam near Kumbakonam, where it is on its 61st day.

Contract workers affiliated to various trade unions in Neyveli Lignite Corporation have announced an indefinite strike from 3rd August, demanding that they be regularized. They are also demanding 26 days of work in a month.

Thousands of nurses from private hospitals across Kerala have been on a strike since end of June. They have been demanding fair wages from hospital managements. Ever since their protest began, the nurses have been agitating for their rights, even as they ensure that the health of the patients at their hospitals is not affected.

Aisin Automotive Haryana Ltd. is located in Rohtak. It has been the scene of resolute protests by the workers. On May 31, 2017, approximately 600 workers were lathi charged outside the gates of Aisin Automotive Haryana Private Limited. Subsequently, 390 men and 35 women were arrested and sent to jail. This brutality was the response of the management to the formation by the workers of the Aisin Automotive Haryana Mazdoor Union.

India’s growing engagement in the US imperialist strategy in the region

India, Japan and the US began the 21st edition of their 5-day joint trilateral maritime Malabar naval exercises in the Bay of Bengal, on July 10. As many as 95 aircraft, 16 ships and two submarines, including the world’s largest aircraft carrier, the American USS Nimitz, are reported to have participated in these exercises, which included on-shore as well as at-sea military exercises.

On July 10, a bus carrying pilgrims, returning after visiting the Amarnath shrine in Kashmir, was fired upon by alleged terrorists. Seven passengers, six of them women, were reported killed while 32 were grievously injured.

People in Kashmir have united, across communities, religious beliefs and political affiliations, to condemn this dastardly crime. They have demanded that the perpetrators of this heinous crime be identified, arrested and punished.

Call of the Central Committee of the Communist Ghadar Party of India, 4 July 2017
The joint statement of the governments of India and the US at the conclusion of the visit of Prime Minister Modi to the US reveal the further strengthening of a dangerous military strategic alliance. The Modi government is showing that it is willing to throw all caution to the winds and embrace the biggest, most rapacious, warmongering imperialist power in the world, the sworn enemy of freedom and sovereignty of all countries and peoples, and of peace on the planet.

Hundreds of peasants’ organisations and many organisations fighting to protect the interest of working people have called for a rally in New Delhi on 18 July 2017. The rally has been called to demand that the government takes necessary steps to address the crisis that is devastating the lives of peasants across the country.

Election to the post of President will be held in India on 17 July 2017, and counting will be done on 20 July, five days before the term of President Shri Pranab Mukherji expires. Ram Nath Kovind, former Governor of Bihar, has been announced as the candidate of the ruling BJP-led NDA alliance. Meira Kumar, the former Speaker of Lok Sabha, is the Congress-led opposition's candidate.

Since early June 2017, the agitation in Darjeeling and surrounding areas, for a separate state for the Gorkha people in West Bengal has become very intense. The agitators have organised an indefinite strike of all government offices and agencies. Gorkha students and working people in other parts of India, including in Jadavpur University in Kolkata and JNU in Delhi, have taken out rallies to express their support to the agitation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three day visit to Israel in July 2017 marks the strengthening of a dangerous anti-people alliance between India and Israel. ... Significantly, the Indian Prime Minister never uttered a single word during his entire visit about the Palestinian people or their long-standing struggle.

The results of the mid-term elections held in Britain in June reveal that the country is caught in the throes of acute political crisis. In 2015, the bourgeoisie succeeded in manufacturing victory for the Conservative Party and made David Cameron the Prime Minister. Faced with sharp contradictions within its ranks, the British bourgeoisie organized a referendum on BREXIT (Britain’s exit from the EU) in 2016. The referendum results revealed deep division within the bourgeoisie. David Cameron resigned as Prime Minister making way for Theresa May.

An estimated 120,000 people from across Germany and different parts of the Europe, gathered in militant protest actions at Hamburg, Germany, on the eve of the G-20 Summit which began on July 7. Various protest actions had begun in Hamburg nearly two weeks before the Summit. These protest actions demonstrated the resentment of the world’s peoples against imperialism, the capitalist system, the plunder and devastation of nations, militarization and war.

I am writing in reponse to the Statement of the CC of the CGPI dated 5 June 2017 entitled '42nd anniversary of the declaration of National Emergency: Behind the signboard of democracy stands the brutal dictatorship of the biggest monopolies' carried in the June 16-30, 2017 issue of MEL. The National Emergency was a watershed in the history of post-1947 India and understanding the precise class character and the underlying complexion thereof is crucial for the movement and for the working class in order for the revolutionary camp to go forward.

The Indian IT industry alone employs more than 45 lakh people. Despite packages that may seem attractive, the working conditions of these professionals are very damaging to their physical, mental and social well-being.

In June 2017, Tamizhaga Vivasayeegal Sangam (Sangam) organized a meeting of peasants near Pasuvandanai in Thoothukudi district of Tamilnadu. Peasants belonging to the nearby villages took active part in this meeting. Besides Sangam leaders and activists, the leaders and activists of Communist Ghadar Party, Workers Unity Movement and Unorganized Workers Federation also took part in this meeting.

Statement of the Central Committee of Communist Ghadar Party of India, 5 June 2017

June 25 marks the 42nd anniversary of the proclamation of “National Emergency” by the then President Fakruddin Ali Ahmed under Article 352(1) of the Constitution. It was proclaimed on the advice of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi claiming that the government had information that "there is an imminent danger to the security of India, being threatened by internal disturbances".

The Ghadar of 1857 thoroughly shook up the British colonial empire. The meticulous planning that went into the Ghadar, the tremendous unity of the people against the colonial administration, and its wide geographical reach shocked the colonialists. They did not anticipate that their subjects would dare to revolt against their rule in such a forceful manner. The Ghadar of 1857 had the potential to not only snatch away their prized colony, but also to inspire such revolts in other colonies of their empire.

The Ghadar of 1857 saw people uniting as one fist to overthrow the colonial rulers, overcoming differences in religion, language and region. Hindu, Muslim and Sikh religious organizations and individuals played a stellar role during the uprising.

The British colonisers could not easily crush the Ghadar of 1857. Apart from sending their troops to reconquer North India, they passed a series of laws to crush the insurgency. A number of Acts were passed in May and June 1857, placing the whole of North India under martial law. Military officers and even British citizens were given the power to try and punish Indians on mere suspicion of their having been involved in the rebellion. There was only one form of punishment – death!

With utmost anger the Communist Ghadar Party of India condemns the brutal terror unleashed by the Madhya Pradesh government against farmers agitating for their rights. At least 6 farmers have been shot dead while dozens of others are battling death with severe injuries when police and paramilitary forces opened fire on agitating farmers in Mandsaur on June 6.

A three-year Draft Agenda was presented at the 3rd Governing Council meeting of the Niti Aayog on 23rd April. This contains a host of proposed legislation and policy changes, whose stated objective is of “accelerating growth and increasing employment opportunities”.

The Union Government has announced its clear intention to accelerate on the privatization program. The aviation and defence sector public sector enterprises are high on the list of its privatization program. State governments are withdrawing from their responsibility to ensure safe, reliable and affordable public transport system, by privatizing road transport.

The state committees of seven left and communist parties demonstrated at Jantar Mantar on 5th June 2017, with the demand to bring to an end the state organized communal violence in Saharanpur and to punish the guilty. Large number of activists of the parties and students participated in the demonstration.

Nearly 5-7 lakh farmers from different districts of Maharashtra including Ahmadnagar, Nashik, Kolhapur, Sangli, Solapur, Nanded and Jalgaon have launched an agitation since 1st June 2017. They are demanding remunerative prices and guaranteed procurement for their produce as well as waiver for their debt.

Modi-led government has continued to justify demonetisation and refute even bourgeois economists’ assertion that it has hurt the economic growth. It has refused to accept that crores of workers lost their livelihood for months and lakhs of small and medium sized enterprises were forced to shut-down in the absence of cash post-demonetisation.

Employee Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) is considering a proposal to reduce provident fund contribution from 12 percent to 10 percent by both workers and employers. EPFO is claiming that the proposal is beneficial to workers as it will increase their take-home pay. It is hiding the real reason for the proposal which is to help the capitalists by reducing their contribution to workers’ provident fund.

A new Strategic Partnership (SP) Policy has been finalized to boost the Indian private sector's role in production of cutting-edge weapon systems, in collaboration with global armament majors through joint ventures.

The SP policy will initially open up four major segments of fighter jets, helicopters, submarines and armoured vehicles (tanks and infantry combat vehicles) for private sectors players. The government claims that the SP policy will boost its “Make in India” efforts and create jobs.

Nearly 9 lakh chemists all over India observed a day long strike on May 30 in support of their demands. The strike had been called by the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD). Retail chemist shops remained closed in almost all parts of the country, in support of the strike. A demonstration was also held at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, on the day of the strike.

No justification for the State to attack a place of worship!

An attack on one is an attack on all!

Statement of the Central Committee of Communist Ghadar Party of India, 22nd May 2017

It was a communal act, an act of blatant interference of the State in a religious congregation. It was an act of the highest criminal degree, in violation of all accepted principles of governance. The State, whose core duty is supposed to include protecting its citizens’ lives and their right to any form of religious worship, sent its army to attack a place of worship, killing thousands of its own citizens assembled there.

It is not usual to find organisers of teachers, farmers, government employees and of women and youth all participating actively in a joint political discussion. Such an event took place recently, at the initiative of the Rajasthan Council of Lok Raj Sangathan, a non-party political organization committed to the cause of bringing people to power.

On 16th April 1917 (3rd April in the Russian calendar of that time), Comrade Lenin returned to Russia from years of working in exile. The following day, he addressed a meeting of members of the Bolshevik Party where he presented 10 theses elaborating the next stage of the struggle following the February Revolution that overthrew Tsarism.

US President Donald Trump addressed leaders of 50 Islamic states on May 21 in Saudi Arabia, during his first foreign trip as President. As the leader of US imperialism, the main source of terrorism in the world today, Trump’s speech on “countering terrorism” was full of hypocrisy, lies and false assertions. Its aim was to attempt to cover up the reality that US imperialism remains the fountainhead of terrorism and of organizing, funding, training and unleashing terrorists groups in various parts of the world, in order to advance its geo-political strategy for world domination.

China formally showcased its Belt and Road Initiative at a Summit meeting held on May 14-15 in Beijing.

Presidents and Prime Ministers from 28 countries including Russian President Vladimir Putin, and ministers from another 30 countries including from Britain and Germany attended the summit. Ambassadors from at least 40 other countries also participated.

The India Exclusion Report 2016, released by the New Delhi-based Centre for Equity Studies (CES) on 12th May 2017, citing Labour Ministry Data, says that says that employment creation in 2015 plummeted to 135,000 jobs compared to 930,000 in 2011. Even worse, existing jobs, especially in the IT sector, are being lost as thousands of workers were laid off in 2016, and the trend is set to continue this year.

On 9th May 2017 in Kurukshetra, hundreds of activists from the Construction Workers and Mechanics Union held a rousing demonstration in front of the District Collector’s office to protest the anti worker policies of the Haryana government and the Labour Welfare Board. These workers are primarily from the unorganised sector and have been completely excluded from the ambit of government labour laws.

About 1.5 lakh state transport workers of Tamilnadu went on an indefinite strike from 14th May 2017. These workers operate about 23,000 buses all over the state and carry about 2.25 crore passengers/commuters every day. They were protesting non-payment of wages and retirement dues.

Spreading disinformation about 1857 continues to this day. Those who want to maintain the existing State and worship its Constitution propagate, in one form or another, a distorted picture of 1857. They deny that it represented the assertion of the masses of Indian people that they must be the master of society.

This is in response to the May Day call of the CC of the CGPI dated 29-4-2017 entitled `Strengthen the united working class opposition!' carried in the May 1-15, 2017 issue of MEL. This is an excellent piece of theoretical and practical work, the hallmark of the CGPI, and an excellent piece of tactics in the ongoing class struggle towards the goal of socialism and emancipation of the working class and liberation of society from the shackles of vicious capitalist enslavement.

I am writing to thank you for carrying the important and educative article entitled 'What is the way out of the crisis of agriculture?' in the May 1-15, 2017 issue of MEL. This article is an outstanding example of Marxist-Leninist analysis of the concrete problems faced by the people of the country engaged in the agricultural sector, accounting probably for 70% of the population. The article begins by noting the recent directive from the Madras High Court to the Government of TN to waive all farm loans through cooperative banks.

Statement of the Central Committee of Communist Ghadar Party of India, 9th May, 2017

Communist Ghadar Party of India condemns this inhuman barbaric act. It is an act designed to inflame passions and war hysteria against Pakistan. It has led to a setback to all initiatives from India and Pakistan to move towards normalisation of relations, including cultural exchanges.

The first part of this pamphlet is an analysis of facts and phenomena to identify and expose the real aims behind the Note Ban. The second part is devoted to a critical appraisal of the government’s claims that it will reduce inequality, corruption and terrorism. The third part is what Communist Ghadar Party believes is the real solution to these problems and the immediate program of action towards that solution.

On 4th April, the Madras High Court directed the Government of Tamilnadu to waive all farm loans accessed through cooperative banks. This comes at a time when farmers from drought-stricken Tamil Nadu have been agitating in New Delhi for several weeks. Their terrible plight has been visibly on display in all major TV news channels.

On 17th April, the Central Government handed over a list of the biggest loan defaulters to the Supreme Court. That list includes the names of all big capitalist companies which owe more than Rs 500 crore each to banks. Both the Government of India and the Reserve Bank claim that the names of these top defaulters must be kept hidden from the public, allegedly to protect the “economic interest of the country”. The Supreme Court has agreed to this.

I am writing to thank you for carrying the article entitled `Bypassing of Rajya Sabha to push the monopoly capitalist agenda' in the April 16-30, 2017 issue of MEL, which is a detailed report on 5 bills tabled in the Lok Sabha during March as "money bills".

On April 10, the Lok Sabha passed the Constitution (123rd) Amendment Bill to pave the way for the creation of a new National Commission for Backward Classes as a constitutional body. To be passed, a Constitutional Amendment Bill requires two thirds majority in the Lok Sabha. The Lok Sabha voted in favour of the amendment with 360 MP’s supporting it and two opposing it.

Forbes magazine recently published its annual list of dollar billionaires in India, i.e., people with wealth of Rs. 6500 crores or more, in 2016. As per the Forbes list, the number of billionaires in India increased by 20 percent to 101 during the year. The country with the world’s largest number of poor now has the fourth largest number of billionaires. The wealth of these 101 biggest capitalists exceeds 300 billion dollars (around 20lakh crore rupees).

I am writing in response to the call of the CC of the CGPI as we approach May Day of 2017, and which was carried in the April 16-30, 2017 issue of MEL entitled `An attack on one is an attack on all! Build and strengthen the working class opposition to the capitalist offensive! In particular, I would like to join the chorus of outrage at the brutal and draconian sentence of life imprisonment on 13 Maruti-Suzuki workers in Gurgaon.

The united actions of the workers of Haryana Roadways (10th-14th April 2017) have forced the Haryana government to concede some of the demands of the workers. Government had to reinstate all 120 workers who were union activists and were expelled during the course of this struggle.

On April 12, the Central government filed a curative petition with the Supreme Court, seeking recall of two orders given by the Court on July 8, 2016 relating to impunity enjoyed by the Armed Forces for killing innocent people under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). The Supreme Court had ruled that AFSPA did not give impunity to the armed forces to carry out killings of innocent people. It had directed that all allegations of killings of innocent people in fake encounters in the state be probed.

The video of a youth tied to the front of an army jeep driving through villages during the by-elections in the Srinagar parliamentary constituency on April 9 has provoked women and men of conscience throughout our country to raise their voice in protest. At one stroke, it has brought to the fore the utter brutality and inhuman treatment of the Kashmiri people by the Indian state.

Thousands of workers participated in a militant protest rally near the government guest house in Chepauk, Chennai on April 13, 2017. The protest rally was organized to express the opposition of the working class to the decision of the Sessions Court of Gurgaon to award life sentence to 13 Maruti Suzuki workers.

May Day call of the Central Committee of Communist Ghadar Party of India, 29 April, 2017

On the occasion of May Day 2017, Communist Ghadar Party of India extends its revolutionary greetings to the workers of India and all countries who are courageously resisting the offensive of the capitalist class against their livelihood and rights.

On 19th April, the Supreme Court announced that the case of Criminal Conspiracy for the demolition of Babri Masjid on 6th December, 1992, against BJP leaders Lal Kishan Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharati and 11 others, was to be revived. It transferred the trial from Rae Bareli to Lucknow, ordered daily hearings, and gave a time limit of two years for completion of the trial.

In the elections to the Delhi Municipal Corporation held on April 23, one campaign that stood out from the others was that of the people’s candidate and activist of Lok Raj Sangathan called Shivaji, in the Harkesh Nagar ward of, South Delhi.

​​ Workers from various industries and their trade unions and organisations have been organizing protest actions opposing the unjust sentence of the Gurgaon Sessions Court on 18 March 2017, declaring life imprisonment for 13 workers of Maruti Suzuki Ltd. (Manesar) and 5 years imprisonment to 4 other workers.

On July 14, 1889, the hundredth anniversary of the fall of the Bastille, leaders from organized revolutionary proletarian movements of many countries came together in Paris to found what became known as the Second International. Although he could not personally attend this conference, Frederick Engels played a guiding role in its proceedings. In the period since the First International founded by Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, Marxism had won a decisive victory in the working class movement over anarchism and other petty bourgeois trends.

The Indian people must demand that the US and all foreign powers immediately withdraw from Afghanistan. We must demand that Government of India condemns the criminal bombing and dangerous American war preparations and speak up in defence of the sovereignty of all nations, peoples and countries of South Asia and the world.

Build and strengthen the working class opposition to the capitalist offensive!

Call of the Central Committee of Communist Ghadar Party of India, 2nd April, 2017

Comrade workers,

We are approaching May Day this year in the midst of growing mass protests against the draconian sentence of life imprisonment imposed on 13 Maruti-Suzuki workers, whose only crime is that they stood up for the rights of workers and dared to form a fighting union.

As many as five Bills were tabled in the Lok Sabha during March as “money bills”. They consist of the Finance Bill and four bills related to the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Finance Bill 2017

The Finance Bill is a piece of legislation that is tabled in parliament every year, along with the Union Budget. Taxation, expenditure and borrowing targets proposed in the budget become operational once the Finance Bill is approved by the Parliament and signed by the President.

In the middle of March, the US and South Korean armed forces conducted one of the biggest ever military exercises in the Korean peninsula, targeted at North Korea. Seventeen thousand US troops joined over three lakh South Korean troops in war games conducted over air, sea and land. They practiced attacking North Korea with nuclear weapons. US Special Forces (SEALS) practiced for a mission to assassinate the North Korean political and military leadership and carry out regime change there.

The US launched a criminal attack on Syria on April 6, 2017. Fifty nine Cruise Missiles were launched from US destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean Sea targeting the Syrian Air Force at the Shayrat airfield in Homs Province. This airfield has played a major role in the Syrian Army’s battles to liberate various cities which had come under the control of the ISIS. At least nine civilians, including five children from nearby villages were killed in these missile attacks apart from 5 soldiers.

According to media reports, on 27th March, a gang of persons forced their way into a residence of Nigerian students in Greater Noida, in the National Capital Region of Delhi. They demanded the right to search the students' refrigerator. They alleged that the Nigerians were cannibals and accused them of murdering a local youth.

Three youth were shot dead on 27th March, when Armed forces deliberately fired upon hundreds of people who had gathered at the site of an “encounter” near Darbugh village at Chadoora in Budgam district in central Kashmir.

It may be recalled that earlier in February, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat issued a statement justifying such attacks on civilians. Rawat declared “mobs disrupting encounters” would be treated as “over ground workers of militants” and ruthlessly shot down. The then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar publicly justified this policy.

This is with reference to the article `On the Present Situation and our Tasks: Assessment of the Plenum of the Central Committee, March 2017' carried in the April 1-15, 2017 issue of MEL.

The Plenum was convened at a time of severe crisis of the international system and the intensification of fascism and war the world over. Indeed, with the ascension of the Trump Presidency, the US has transformed itself in an openly fascistic society both at home and outside.

This is in response to the principled and deeply researched statement of the CC of CGPI dated 10-3-2017 and carried in the March 15-31, 2017 issue of MEL, entitled `To respond to the call of Shaheed Bhagat Singh means to work for the revolution and socialism on Indian soil!' written prior to the anniversary of the execution of Bhagat Singh, Sukhev and Rajguru on March 23, 1931. The statement specifically notes,

1) that it is an occasion for all revolutionaries to redouble their efforts to achieve the goal of revolution and socialist India,

I am writing in response to the statement of the CC of the CGPI dated March 17, 2017 and carried in the March 15-3, 2017 issue of MEL ``Elections have been used to manufacture a "mandate" for the big bourgeoisie's agenda".

The annual street play festival, “Mukhatib Nukkad Natak” festival organized by the students of Ramjas College, Delhi University this year was an occasion for students across colleges of Delhi University to express their anger against the attempt of the authorities to clamp down on their right to express their views.

The entire union body of Omax Autos, Dharuhera has been fired as a punishment for fighting with the 344 contract workers who had been retrenched on 1st Feb 2016. 16 workers were sacked recently, taking the total number of permanent workers sacked to 34. Permanent workers of Omax Autos, had joined the protesting contract workers after one of the contract workers had committed suicide due to loss of livelihood.

Three sectoral unions in the IT sector have announced a joint campaign against the proposed mass layoff of employees by Cognizant Technologies Solutions. NDLF (New Democratic Labour Front), FITE (Forum for IT Employees) and KPF (Knowledge Professionals Forum) have issued a common statement urging employees not to accept forced resignations while demanding that the company invest in re-skilling employees. Earlier in 2016, NDLF, through a court case, had won a favourable clarification by Tamil Nadu government, that declared that all industrial and labour laws applied to the IT Sector.

We are approaching May Day at a time when the number and scale of protests of the working class are on the rise all over the world. Workers are fighting back with growing determination and waging more powerful, more united struggles against the capitalist offensive. There have been massive protests against the “austerity” measures being imposed on the working people, the cutbacks in social service and privatization of health services.

The All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA) and the All India Guards Council (AIGC) have decided to go on a 36 hour hunger strike on 25 and 26 April 2017. Through this hunger strike, they plan to highlight the grievances of the running staff of trains on a number of issues including the recommendations of the Seventh pay Commission on wages and allowances for different grades of the running staff.

The Second Plenum of the 6th Central Committee of Communist Ghadar Party of India was convened on 25-26 March, 2017. Assessing the developments on the world scale, the Plenum noted the intensification of inter-imperialist contradictions and the growing tendency of capitalist ruling classes to resort to fascist methods of rule. It noted that the Indian big bourgeoisie is marching on an extremely dangerous path and could drag us into a reactionary war to fulfil its selfish aims.

On 18th March, the Gurgaon district court pronounced its sentence for 31 workers of Maruti Suzuki whom it had convicted on the completely concocted charges of murdering a manager of the company. Thirteen workers have been awarded life imprisonment.

Lenin had been in exile for many years because the Russian bourgeoisie considered him as the most dangerous enemy and Tsarist government was doing its utmost to eliminate him. At the time of the February Revolution, Lenin was in Switzerland and wrote four "Letters from Afar" between March 7 and 12 (March 20 and 25 by the new calendar) for publication in the Party organ. A fifth letter remained unfinished the eve of Lenin’s departure from Switzerland, on March 26 (April 8), 1917.

On 27 Feb 2017, the 6th regional conference of the Jan Sangharsh Manch was held in Kurukshetra to commemorate the 87th martyrdom day of Shaheed Chandrashekhar Azad. The regional president of the Manch, Phool Singh presided over the meeting. The advisor to the Manch, Dr.

Professor G.N. Saibaba along with four other comrades was sentenced to life imprisonment by a session’s court in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra on 7th March 2017. Prof Saibaba, who is 90% disabled, was earlier arrested on May 9, 2014, when the police picked him up without any notice from his residence. He was lodged in Nagpur Central Jail for 14 months following his arrest. Subsequently, in March 2016, he was granted bail on grounds of his deteriorating health.

On 23 march on the occasion of martyrs day as Conference was organised in Ramgarh in Rajasthan on the theme “The relevance of Bhagat Singhs Views in India Today”. Vice-sarpanch of Ramgarh Shri Chetram, and Principal Karni Singh, chaired the event.

The Purogami Mahila Sangathan organised a meeting on the theme, “Socialism is Necessary for the Emancipation of Women”, in Thane (Maharashtra) on 19th March and invited the Communist Ghadar Party of India to make the main presentation.

On March 6, an organization named Nikhil Bharat Bangali Udbastu Samannay Samitee (NIBBUSS), organised a day long rally and demonstration in Silpathar town in Assam, demanding that the names of Hindu Bengalis be removed from the list of D-voters (doubtful voters). It is reported that the demonstrators attacked and vandalized the office of the AASU (All Assam Students’ Union) and injured several AASU activists.

More than 12 lakh government employees went on strike throughout the country on 16th March 2017. The strike saw participation of workers from various government services including postal services, income tax services, RMSCGWB, postal account, civil account, survey of India, census services. The strike took place in support of the 20 point charter of demands released under the banner of Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers. The strike took place successfully throughout each part of the country.

Lok Raj Sangathan, Haryana, organised a seminar in the Vishnoi Dharamshala at Sirsa on 19th March 2017. Vice President of Lok Raj Sangathan, Hanuman Prasad Sharma, Secretary of the Haryana Council of Lok Raj Sangathan, Dunichand and head of All India Workers Federation, M. L. Sehgal presided over the seminar.

The Jharkhand Adivasi Sangharsh Morcha continues to spearhead the protests of the tribal peoples against amendments to the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act and the Santhal Pargana Act that define land use in the state. On March 5th, the Morcha organized a rally at Jantar Mantar to register the continued opposition of the people to the acquisition of tribal lands for industry.

The crisis facing banks in India has been brewing for some years now. A large and growing share of the outstanding loans extended by commercial banks has turned into bad loans or Non-Performing Assets (NPAs). Any loan for which the principal or interest payment has remained overdue for a period of 90 days or more is called NPA. It is a loan which the borrower is not paying back as agreed.

On February 2, 2017, the history department of the Jai Narayan Vyas University in Jodhpur organized a conference on ‘History Reconstructed through Literature: Nation, Identity, Culture’. The Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), student wing of the ruling BJP, organized a shutdown of the university the following day declaring that a Professor who addressed the seminar had expressed "anti national views". The teacher who organized the conference has since been suspended by the Vice Chancellor of the University.

The declaration by the US government that people from seven countries — Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia and Afghanistan — are not welcome into the US, and will be treated as "terrorists" has aroused widespread condemnation both in the US and worldwide.

The news media has reported a spate of racist attacks on people of Indian origin in the USA. At least two people have been killed, and two others seriously injured in such attacks in just the past two weeks.

The Modi government has announced plans to open up commercial mining of coal during next financial year (Apr 17-Mar 18).In the first phase, four coal mines will be auctioned. The plan is to auction as many as 23 mines during the year. Commercial mine owners will be able to sell coal to any user. For this purpose the Coal Mines Special Provision Act of 2015 was enacted which allows government to open up commercial coal mining for private players.

Lok Raj Sangathan organized a series of meetings on the anti-people step of banning 500 and 1000 rupee notes on 8 November 2016. The meetings were held to expose the real aims of the government. Between January and the first week of March 2017, meetings were held at Bhiwandi, Kalyan, Ulhasnagar and Thane for workers, political activists, students and teachers.

I am writing in response to the article entitled 'Governmental Crisis in Tamilnadu: Parliamentary democrcy stands completely exposed' in the March 1-15, 2017 issue of MEL. This is an excellent piece of Marxist-Leninist analysis, and also provides a complete and objective basis for analyzing the political system in India, based on the most scientific principles.

When 67 people were killed in three bomb blasts in Delhi on 28th October, 2005, three young Kashmiris were immediately arrested. Newspapers and TV channels claimed that the terrorists responsible for the killings had been caught. Now, 11 years later, a Delhi court has acquitted the three youth. They have been declared to be innocent after they had suffered unspeakable torture and imprisonment for over a decade in the prime of their lives (See Box 1). One of them had been declared to be the "mastermind", but the prosecution could not prove his involvement in the blasts.

The BJP government of Jharkhand is pulling out all stops to welcome Indian and foreign multinationals to plunder the land, labour and rich mineral resources of the state. Over 200 MOU's with Indian and foreign capitalists were signed on 16-17 February at a Momentum Jharkhand Investors' Summit 2017.

Shurhozelie Liezietsu. Chairman of Naga People's Front, was sworn in as the 17th Chief Minister of Nagaland on 22nd February. This followed the forced resignation of T.R. Zeliang in response to the demands of a united front of Naga people's organisations.

Over 800 women and men, youth and students, marched in unison from Rajiv Chowk to Jantar Mantar in Central Delhi, on 8th March, 2017, in celebration of International Women’s Day. With spirited slogans and songs that resounded through the busy streets, with clenched fists held high, with colourful banners and placards highlighting their resolve to resist the manifold attacks of the state, they reiterated their commitment to continue the struggle in defence of their rights and for a system free of injustice and inequality.

More than 10,00,000 bank workers of India across all categories of employment went on strike on 28th February. The strike was called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella body of unions of bank employees. Workers of commercial banks, regional rural banks and cooperative banks participated in the strike.

The capitalist class and its economic experts talk as if the rate of growth in GDP is the indicator of the economic health of the country. However, life experience shows that growth in GDP does not guarantee improvement in the standard of living of the workers, peasants, artisans and others who toil to produce the GDP.

Crores of workers become poorer whenever the movement in their wages lag behind the rate of increase in the prices of consumption articles. It makes no difference to them whether GDP has grown by 5% or by 10%.

Events in Tamilnadu since the death of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa have led to heightened anger among the people. The sordid spectacle of intense dogfight within the ruling party, the kidnapping of “people’s representatives” by the faction in command and physical clashes within the Legislative Assembly have all aroused the people’s indignation.

The Army chief, General Bipin Rawat recently issued a warning that the army would treat all those in Kashmir who do not support army operations or obstruct them during encounters “as overground workers of terrorists,” and fire upon them. His target was the lakhs of youth and women participating in mass protests against killing of innocents in fake encounters and other atrocities committed by the army and paramilitary forces.

I am writing in response to the Statement of the Central Committee of Communist Ghadar Party of India issued on 24th January on the occasion of the 67th anniversary of the Indian Republic, titled: We need to rebuild the Republic on an entirely new foundation.

With this statement, Communist Ghadar Party has shown that it is possible even in these times of obfuscation and confusion to unwaveringly stick to the true path for the liberation of Indian society.

The condition of peasants is growing from bad to worse in all parts of the country. Growing domination of capitalist monopolies, withdrawal of State support in the name of liberalisation, and the cash crunch created by the Note Ban have all added to the misery of the peasants. The following are some cases which have hit the news in recent weeks.

The Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 is likely to be tabled in the Monsoon session of the Parliament this year. This Bill amends the Citizenship Act, 1955 to relax the eligibility requirements for Indian citizenship for migrants who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Titwala in Maharashtra is famous for tourism. However, travellers have to face many difficulties due to several problems at Titwala railway station. Because of these problems, several travellers and residents have placed their demands to the railway adminstration. Railway adminstration has however ignored the problems and the demands. Rail travellers, together with residents have come together to establishe the Railway Passenger Janhit Sangharsh Manch.

Workers of various government schemes like Anganwadi, Asha, mid-day meals, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Ancilliary Nurse Midwife program (ANM), National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), Sakshar Bharath and Indira Kranthi Patham (IKP) are organising to escalate their struggle for being recognised as workers. Government deploys them in for implementing its schemes (therefore the name scheme workers). For example, Anganwadi workers are deployed in pulse polio, ration card and census schemes of Central and State governments.

Recent months have witnessed thousands of workers being thrown out of their jobs in a wide range of sectors, as a result of intense monopolistic competition leading to mergers among the biggest capitalist corporations.

The telecom sector is witnessing an unprecedented wave of mergers and acquisitions, which is expected to lead to massive destruction of jobs.

The Central Ministry for Labour and Employment issued an Advisory in early 2016 on the subject of giving specific concessions to newly established companies, called “start-ups”, with respect to laws dealing with the labour rights. Since then, 10 States have agreed to take steps as per the Advisory. Government of Maharashtra is one of the states taking active steps to exempt start-ups from inspections relating to key labour laws, for a period of three years.

Following the Note Ban announced on 8th November last year, many factory and shop owners all over the country paid one month’s wages in advance to get rid of their old rupee notes.

On 21st December, Government of India issued an Ordinance to amend the Payment of Wages Act, 1936, to permit employers to pay wages by cheque or digital transfer without having to seek the workers’ consent.

As has been reported earlier in Mazdoor Ekta Lehar, the people of Bhangar, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, have been waging a militant struggle against the forcible acquisition of their fertile agricultural land by the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL).

Mass protests have broken out throughout the United States of America. Lakhs of people have come onto the streets in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and other cities, defending the rights of immigrants, Muslims and refugees fleeing war torn countries. They have declared that No Human Being Is Illegal!

On 18th January, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, headed by Prime Minister Modi, gave “in principle” approval for listing of state-owned general insurance companies. Listing them in the stock exchange is the first step towards their privatisation. The companies concerned are: New India Assurance Company, United India Insurance, Oriental Insurance Company, National Insurance Company and the General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC).

Drivers working for Uber and Ola taxi service companies have been on strike in the National Capital Region of Delhi since 10th February. They are led by Sarvodaya Drivers Association of Delhi and Rajdhani Tourist Drivers’ Union. There are around 150,000 taxis attached to Uber and Ola in Delhi.

Participants in a Round Table Conference on the theme "Is Demonetisation in the National Interest?" were of the firm view that the Note Ban is thoroughly anti-worker, anti peasant, anti-social and anti-national.

The conference was organised by the Delhi Council of Lok Raj Sangathan on 15th February, 2017. Ms Sucharita conducted the proceedings of the Conference.

On 12 February 2017, the Haryana Council of the Lok Raj Sangathan (LRS) held a meeting on the "Ill-effects of the Noteban (demonetisation)". There was a grand exhibition of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Ghadaris of 1857 outside the meeting hall. The meeting was attended by teachers, students, workers, farmers and traders.

The meeting was presided over by the Vice President of the All India Council of LRS, Com. Hanuman Prasad Sharma, Com. Dhunichand and Purushottam Shastri. The meeting was conducted by Com. Kuldeep.

The alternative is workers’ and peasants’ rule and the Navnirman of India!

Call of Communist Ghadar Party of India on the occasion of elections to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, 1st February, 2017

The election campaign for the 403-member Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh is dominated by the same old divisive and diversionary slogans which have led to communal massacres and caste atrocities in the past.

Fight for workers’ and peasants’ rule and a new voluntary Indian Union!

Call of Communist Ghadar Party of India on the occasion of elections to the Manipur Assembly, 11th February, 2017

The Election Commission has announced 4th and 8th March as the dates for election to the 60-member Legislative Assembly of Manipur. The election process is to take place in unusually difficult conditions, caused by prolonged trade blockade and the Note Ban, in addition to the fascist reign of terror by the central armed forces.

‘Raj Badalo-Samaj Badalo’, Conference Held In Bhatinda

On January 31st, a major Conference was held in Bhatinda, a district town of Punjab, on the topic ‘Raj Badalo (Change the present state) -Samaj Badalo’ (Change the society). This conference was organised by a committee of left and progressive leaders including Shinder Singh Nathuwala, Jhanda Singh Jhethuke, Buta Singh Burj Gill, Pavel Kussa, Lal Singh Golewala, Kamaljit Khanna and others who also spoke in the conference. The conference was attended by about 20,000 people.

A blatant exposure of the communal nature of the Indian State

Fifteen years have passed since the state-organised genocide in Gujarat. In spite of the attempts of vested interests in India and abroad to brush it under the carpet, the failure to render justice to the victims remains a burning issue. The demand for truth and justice continue to be raised by the victims as well as all men and women of conscience.

On 3rd February 2017, a trial court in Gandhinagar district of Gujarat, acquitted 28 persons accused of arson and rioting during the genocide of Muslims in the state. 15 years have passed, and there have been convictions in the Gulbarg Society, Godhra train burning, Bilkis Bano and Best Bakery cases; however, the verdict is still pending in some of the prominent incidents of killing, rape and loot, as in Naroda Patiya and Sadarpura.

A kisan sansad was organised by the Jai Kisan Andolan of Swaraj Abhiyan on 1st February 2017 at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. This initiative was taken in the face of consistent disregard by the central government of the miserable conditions of farmers. The following points were included in the budget proposals of this Kisan Sansad.

Turamdih, about five km from Jamshedpur in Jharkhand is the site of a nuclear mine. One of five Uranium mines of the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), it was commissioned in 2003. The UCIL is a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU), under the Department of Atomic Energy for uranium mining and processing. The centrally owned Corporation is responsible for the mining and milling of uranium ore in India. Uranium is the main fuel source for running the nuclear power plants that are installed in the country.

A partial but an extremely significant victory was won when the High Court set aside the Lower Court verdict of life sentence for 6 out of 8 activists of Kovai Maavatta Pricol Thozhilalargal Otrumai Sangam. Eight leading activists of the Kovai Maavatta Pricol Thozhilalargal Otrumai Sangam had earlier been sentenced to ‘double life imprisonment’ in a shocking verdict of the Coimbatore Sessions Court. Following the HC judgement, the 6 activists who have been acquitted, will be released soon. Appeal against the sentence for the remaining two will be made in Supreme Court.

One of the big shipping dock companies in Karnataka’s Mangalore port Delta Infralogistics (Worldwide) Ltd illegally retrenched workers from 16 December 2016. The workers under the leadership of AICCTU have launched an agitation against this retrenchment. The workers are lying down in front of truck wheels in order to stop vehicles from transporting dock goods. Workers from other shipping companies have also declared solidarity with these workers and have refused to take part in any activity against the Delta Company workers.

Fulfilling capitalist greed by further robbing the people

Finance Minister Jaitley presented the Union Budget for 2017-18 as being a pro-poor and pro-peasant budget. However, the real agenda is to enhance capitalist profits through a number of tax, expenditure and policy measures.

An important step forward in the struggle against privatization of Railways

On February 1, 2017, unions representing different sections of rail workers gathered under the banner of National Platform of Railway Trade Unions organized an important National Convention on the theme “Save Railways, Save the

The Joint Action Committee of the All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA) and the All India Guards Council (AIGC) organised a massive dharna at the Parliament to press for their demands.

Engine drivers and guards from different divisions of the Indian Railways took part in the dharna along with their families. Mazdoor Ekta Committee, Southern Railway Employees Union and the All India Station Masters Association supported and participated in the dharna.

Four years after hundreds of Maruti workers were arrested, as the trial of Maruti workers approaches its final stage, the truth is getting exposed. Facts reveal that it is the capitalists and not the workers who are to blame.

The employees of Pawan Hans Helicopters Limited are strongly opposing the announcement of privatisation of this public sector enterprise. Through a letter to the Prime Minister dated 5 February 2017, the All India Aviation Employees Union has expressed its opposition to the company being made a private company.

The Finance Minister and other official spokesmen and ideologues of the capitalist class deliberately hide and distort the reality that it is workers, peasants and other working people who produce the wealth which the capitalists and landlords appropriate, and that the State robs the working people even further through massive and ever increasing burden of taxes.

The first payment bank, a joint venture between Airtel and Kotak Mahindra Bank, was launched with much fanfare by the Union Finance Minister on 12th January. A look at the schedule of charges for various transactions at the bank tells us why and for whose benefit digital payment is being promoted by the Government of India.

Mint workers refused to work beyond 9 hours on 29th December, at the Salboni Mint at Kolkatta. On 14th November, they had to work 12 hours at a stretch so that new notes could be made available, in the context of demonetisation.

According to the RBI Note Printing Private Employees Union, several employees fell sick. Since they had to work non-stop, the employees started falling sick and their families were adversely impacted.

Villagers in Bhangor in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal have been waging a determined struggle against forcible land acquisition, since the last week of December 2016. Villages of Khamarait, Machhi Bhanga , Tona and Gazipur in the area have witnessed mass meetings and protest actions by thousands of villagers. People from neighbouring villages have been coming in to show their solidarity.

Oppose the sale and privatisation of public property!

On 28 December 2016, the Cabinet of Ministers of the Central government decided to sell off four public sector drug companies. Hindustan Antibiotics Ltd. (HAL), Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (IDPL), Rajasthan Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (RDPL) and Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (BCPL) are among the companies that are being privatised. The government is justifying the sale of these companies by pretending that the money that will flow into its coffers will be used for the welfare of the people.

Trade unions gave a call to observe 28th January 2017 as an “Opposition Day” to protest the difficulties caused by demonetisation. Many protests were organised across the country. Trade Unions organised protests at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Various sections of workers participated in this.

Call to intensify struggle after the State government reneges on assurances

Vote for strike against privatisation and contract system

The process of voting on the call for an all Rajasthan strike given by the All Rajasthan State Government Employees Joint Federation started on 16th January 2017. This was kicked off in Hanumangarh district. The voting will go on until 25 January. Subsequently, it will be decided how the Federation will respond to the oppressive policies of the government.

I am writing in response to the fitting tribute that appeared in the Dec. 16-31, 2016 issue of MEL to the memory of the great revolutionary leader Fidel Castro Ruz who passed away recently, in the article entitled `Farewell to the Undefeated Commandante, Fidel!'

The revolutionary leader was instrumental in the liberation of his country Cuba in 1959 from the clutches of the right-wing dictatorship headed by Batista, and for helping the brave people of that country brave decades of sanctions and aggression at the hands of the US imperialists and decades of encirclement.

Thousands of peasants gheraoed (surrounded) the Nohar Block office in Hanumangadh district under the leadership of the Kisan-Mazdoor-Vyapari Sangarsh Samiti and Lok Raj Sangathan on 16th January. The peasants were protesting the non fulfilment of their demand for the promised supply of water from the Sidhmukh feeder, Nohar feeder and Amarsingh branch; they were also demanding that the stealthy diversion of water from the canals be stopped. Communist Ghadar Party extends its wholehearted support for the just demand of the peasants.

From January 15, lakhs of youth and students across the length and breadth of Tamilnadu have been organizing and participating in massive protest demonstrations. They have occupied Marina Beach in Chennai, as well as prominent centers in Madurai and other towns of Tamilnadu demanding revocation of the ban on Jallikattu.

Jallikattu is a bull taming sport which has been an integral part of Tamil culture through the ages. It is an integral part of the harvest festival Pongal, one of the most important festivals of the Tamil people.

Call of the Communist Ghadar Party of India on the occasion of Elections to the State Assembly of Punjab, 20 January, 2017

Elections to the state assembly have been announced at a time when Punjab is facing a bleak future. In this most fertile land of the five rivers, peasants are being driven to suicide. Many farmers are selling their land and migrating to other parts of India or abroad. Industry remains under-developed and there is rampant unemployment. The youth of Punjab are among the worst victims of the criminalisation of politics and the state-organised drug trade.

Statement of the Central Committee of Communist Ghadar Party of India, 8th January, 2017

On 2nd January, the Supreme Court of India passed a ruling that “No politician can seek vote in the name of caste, creed, or religion," and that “such actions would be against the secular ethos of the Constitution and amount to corrupt poll practices.”

Since November 1, 2016, that is for nearly two and half months, the people of Manipur are facing the consequences of an economic blockade that has been imposed on them.

There is complete disruption of normal life. Both the National Highways that connect Manipur and its capital Imphal to the rest of India have been blocked off. The international trade via Myanmar has come to a virtual halt. Thousands of trucks carrying essential commodities are stuck at different places on the highways.

Human rights activists attacked by Bastar police

The police and security forces of the state in Chhattisgarh have launched a vicious campaign to harass, vilify, intimidate, arrest and persecute all those who have been investigating the gross human rights violations of the adivasi people there, courageously bringing out the truth and fighting for justice and punishment for the authorities guilty of organizing and executing these crimes.

Following the announcement of demonetization of Rs.500 and Rs.1000 notes, the working people in the cities and rural areas have been facing acute hardship. Lakhs of workers have lost their jobs and peasants are facing a threat to their livelihood. On New Year’s Eve, the PM announced amidst much fanfare, a set of measures in an attempt to pacify the mounting anger of the people and to make a show that the cash deposited in the banks following the 8th November announcement is being applied for the welfare of the people.

Numerous individuals accused of being terrorists are languishing in jails in various parts of the country. Many among them are released several years later when the courts rule that they are innocent. The “1st People’s Tribunal” was set up on 2nd October 2016 to allow such individuals to present a description of their condition. A report based on the victims’ narrative submitted by the jury was released in New Delhi on 10th December 2016. This report has been published by “The Innocents Network India”.

The Note Ban announced by Prime Minister Modi on 8th November is part of a global strategy to make people pay for the banking crisis caused by big corporate defaulters in several countries. This strategy is clearly reflected in a recent Report from Global Research. The Report traces the collaboration between the Indian and US states in the matter of financial management of the economy.

Nepal and Bhutan are the only two other countries that accept some Indian currency as legal tender. The note ban announced by the government on November 8, 2016 has caused severe problems for the people of both these countries, whose economies are heavily dependent on Indian currency.

Protest movement by workers grows in Mexico

On December 27, 2016 the Mexican administration announced a cut to gas subsidies which came into effect from January 1, 2017. Called the “Gasolinazo”, this move resulted in a steep rise in the price of standard petrol by 20 percent to 15.99 pesos (75 cents) a litre.

Brutal neglect of the safety of the colliery workers

Nearly 100 workers are believed to have been buried in a massive earth cave-in that occurred on December 29, 2016, at the Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) Lalmatia colliery in Godda district of Jharkhand, 400 km from the state capital Ranchi.

As we usher in the New Year 2017, workers, peasants, small traders and others are being subjected to untold suffering as a result of acute shortage of cash, which is expected to continue into the New Year. The State has deprived people of the right to decide in what form they can keep their savings out of the income they have legitimately earned.

There has been a lot of talk in the last couple of years that the Government of India is going to privatize the railways. Shortly after the Modi government took power, it appointed the Bibek Debroy Committee in September 2014 to give recommendations on “improving the finances and functioning” of the Indian Railways. The committee gave its report in June 2015.

Allying with the world’s biggest terrorist in the name of “jointly fighting terror”

In early December some sections of the media carried a report that a seven-member team of the FBI (US Federal Bureau of investigation) was in Kolkata to question a person, who had been arrested on charges of being an “Islamic State terror group operative”. It was alleged that the so-called operative had plans to execute “attacks harmful for US interests”.

The Andhra Pradesh government has unveiled plans to privatise civic infrastructure works in urban local bodies.

The workers and their unions are agitated over the proposal of the government to amend the Municipal Act so as to hand over the civic works, including sanitation and provision of drinking water, to the proposed Urban Infrastructure Management Company. The government proposes to empower this Company to recover the entire cost by imposing heavy taxes on the people.

In the context of note ban, Prime Minister Narender Modi and his government colleagues have been carrying on high decibel propaganda about how all the decisions made by the government are allegedly aimed at benefiting the working class and toiling masses. In reality, all the decisions of the government are dictated by the need to shift the burden of the crisis onto the backs of the working class and toiling masses.

The Government of India reduced the import duty of wheat to zero from 10 percent on 8th December. The government has explained that this step has been taken to improve domestic availability and therefore keep the pressure on rising prices of wheat.

The Central Board of Trustees (CBT) of the Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) has announced its decision to reduce interest rates for Employees Provident Fund from 8.8% to 8.65%. This will be applicable for the current year 2016-2017, once it is approved by the Central government.

This reduction in the Provident Fund interest rate is an attack on the savings of crores of workers. It is estimated that there are about 4 crore active EPF accounts. These workers will now earn less on their savings.

The Indian Railways (IR) organised a massive campaign over the last three months beginning September 2016, ostensibly with the purpose of getting suggestions from its 13 lakh workforce on how to improve the functioning of the Railways. 75,000 staff members gave over 150,000 suggestions and the best of these were to be selected and discussed at the 3 day shivir. Only delegates from the recognised trade unions, NFIR and AIFR were allowed to attend.

In recent weeks, Prime Minister Modi and his government have been making allegations that bank employees are siphoning off crores of rupees to some favoured customers and taking a cut. The truth is that the Modi’s government has failed to provide the banking system with enough new notes. His government is responsible for people standing for hours in long queues and still not being able to withdraw their own money from the bank because of cash shortage.

Professor GN Saibaba, a well-known political activist, is being refused reinstatement in Delhi University’s Ram Lal Anand college. Despite a petition signed by 207 academics that was forward by the office of the Vice-President of India, the college has decided to continue with the suspension of Prof. Saibaba. An order of “deemed suspension” of his employment was issued following his arrest in 2014.

Government is making false promises since past 3 years

On 21 December the guest teachers who had gathered at Chatrasaal stadium to press for their demands were attacked with water cannon and police was used to break their strike demonstration. The occasion was the dialogue initiated by the Delhi state government, which had issues a circular calling 11,000 guest teachers.

The work load on bank employees has been increasing with each day on account of the demonetization move by the government, and they have been working day and night. In such a situation, Prime Minister Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and the Reserve Bank have been accusing the bank employees of declaring to the public that they do not have enough money for them to withdraw, despite the bank having sufficient funds; the bank employees have been accused of siphoning crores of rupees to their favoured clients.

Representatives of peasants of Nohar division of Hanumangadh district of Rajasthan presented a petition in the name of Kisan Sangarsh Samiti to the Special District Magistrate. In the petition, the peasants have demanded that they be given the full quantity of water available in the Amar Singh Branch, Nohar Feeder and Sidhmuk Branch, so that they can save their wheat crop.

On 19th December 2016, the residents of Munshari, located on the Ganganagar mega highway between Nohar and Bhadara, surrounded the toll plaza established by a private company by the name of Ridcor. The residents were upset about the toll charged by the toll plaza for people residing in the neighbouring villages. To demonstrate their opposition, they blocked the mega highway near the toll plaza using their vehicles.

On 28 November a massive protest demonstration was organised at Church Gate Station in Mumbai against the demonetisation announced by the Modi government. Over 400 activists of various communist parties participated in the protest demonstration including the CPI, CPM, CGPI, SUCI (Communist), Republican Party of India, Samata Vidhyarthi Aghadi, Lal Nishan Party, and Peasants Workers Party, and others. The activists protested against the great difficulty caused to people are large, and raised slogans with banner and placards.

पार्टी के दस्तावेज

Call of the Mazdoor Ekta Committee

The all India general strike has been called to resolutely oppose the course of enriching the capitalist minority by impoverishing the toiling majority. It has been called to assert the rights that belong to workers, peasants and other toiling people who create the wealth of India.

Parties of the capitalist class claim that there is no alternative to the program of globalisation,liberalisation and privatisation. The truth is that there IS an alternative.The alternative is to reorient the economy to fulfil people’s needs instead of fulfilling capitalist greed. This is the program for the Navnirman of India.

The Report to the Fifth Congress of the Communist Ghadar Party of India, presented by Comrade Lal Singh, General Secretary of the CGPI, on behalf of its Central Committee, was discussed and adopted by the Fifth Congress of the CGPI, held in November 2016. By decision of the Fifth Congress, this report has been edited for publication.

The first part of this pamphlet is an analysis of facts and phenomena to identify and expose the real aims behind the Note Ban. The second part is devoted to a critical appraisal of the government’s claims that it will reduce inequality, corruption and terrorism. The third part is what Communist Ghadar Party believes is the real solution to these problems and the immediate program of action towards that solution.

Unite around the program to reconstitute the Indian Republic and reorient the economy to ensure prosperity and protection for all!

There is growing realisation among workers, peasants and other self-employed people that the program of liberalisation and privatisation only serves to enrich an exploiting minority at their expense. Mass resistance is growing to this anti-worker, anti-peasant and anti-national program.